Sometimes it can be tough finding someone who understands your genre. That’s why the WisCon Writers’ Workshop is excited to add two very special workshop sections to the critique-based workshop offerings available at WisCon 40 — one focusing on speculative (paranormal / sci fi / fantasy) romance/erotica stories and one focusing on post-colonialist steampunk.

These workshops follow the format of our traditional Writers’ Workshop sessions, so be sure to look over the information on our workshop page so that you’re ready to send in your submission by April 25!

To sign up for a workshop section:

Simply email workshop@wiscon.net

Attach your manuscript (see next paragraph)

Indicate which workshop you’d like.

Email by April 25 (11:59pm Central Time)!!

All our critique-based workshops do require that you attach a 10k-or-less manuscript to your email. To prepare your manuscript, please follow the guidelines on the main Writers’ Workshop page.

If you have any questions, email workshop@wiscon.net ASAP!

Both sections are capped at four (4!) participants and are first-come, first-served!

Speculative (paranormal / sci fi / fantasy) romance/erotica

Do you like your romance with a stroke of the other worldly? Love your urban fantasy with a generous touch of something sexy? Elizabeth Reeve will be leading a Workshop section focused on the needs of writers of paranormal/sci fi/fantasy romance/erotica. It’s time to show your manuscript some love that includes sex scenes. Particular emphasis will be placed on finding a balance between romantic/erotic elements and speculative elements, all of which advance your plot. Word choice will also be discussed so that your sex scenes make people laugh for all the right reasons. As a bonus, Elizabeth will discuss finding resources for finding publishers.

Be advised, this workshop section requires you to be comfortable reading material that will be sexually explicit to varying degrees.

You’ll need to send in your manuscript of 10k or less (either a short story or novel excerpt) by the April 25th submission deadline.

Post-colonialist steampunk

Are you in love with the intersection of history and speculative fiction, powered by fantastical technologies that never were but should have been? The gears of fortune are turning in your favor then because steampunk postcolonialist Jaymee Goh will be leading a Workshop section devoted to steampunk. This workshop will be especially useful for and welcoming to people who do not center white Western narratives in their steampunk universes.

Preference will be given to writers of color or those with other often marginalized voices. The Workshop regrets that it may not be able to accommodate all applicants to this specific section; however, space will be provided in one of the other critique-based sections provided all materials are received in a timely fashion. There are four slots available, and you’ll need to send in your 10k or less manuscripts (also either a short story or novel excerpt) by the April 25th deadline, so get your submissions in today!

Workshop leaders

So who are the fantastic group leaders taking charge of these adventures? Check out their bios!

Elizabeth Reeve writes speculative romance and erotica with a comedic bent. She lives in Arizona with her husband, two little boys, and an increasingly disgruntled cat. When she’s not writing — or chasing small children and trying to clean their faces — she likes to read, complain about genre television, and sew amusing animal hats.

Jaymee Goh writes fiction, poetry, and academese. Currently a PhD Candidate at the University of California, Riverside, she has contributed to Tor.com and Racialicious.com and been published in Science Fiction Studies, Strange Horizons, and Stone Telling. She recently co-edited The Sea is Ours: Tales of Steampunk Southeast Asia (Rosarium Publishing).

Special sections change from year to year — there’s no guarantee we’ll be able to run these sections in the future. Don’t miss out!

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